ScienceDaily Health Headlines -- for Wednesday, June 8, 2011

ScienceDaily Health Headlines

for Wednesday, June 8, 2011

Welcome to another edition of ScienceDaily's email newsletter. You can change your subscription options or unsubscribe at any time.

People with Parkinson's disease may have double the risk for melanoma (June 8, 2011) -- An analysis of several studies shows that people with Parkinson's disease have a significantly higher risk of melanoma, the most dangerous type of skin cancer and the leading cause of death from skin diseases. ... > full story

Link between phosphate intake and heart disease demonstrated in new study (June 8, 2011) -- Lowering phosphate intake in humans can reduce heart disease, according to research by experts in the UK. The study demonstrates the connection between a high phosphate diet and atherosclerosis -- a leading cause of heart disease, the researchers say. ... > full story

Greater cancer detection is possible with 4-D PET image reconstruction (June 8, 2011) -- A new study is advancing a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging method that uses new 4-D image reconstruction to achieve the highest diagnostic capability for the detection of cancer. Mounting evidence shows that PET imaging, which provides visual representations of bodily functions, is significantly more sensitive when used with cutting-edge 4D image reconstruction technology that accounts for patient respiration and produces clearer, more easily interpreted images. ... > full story

Construction industry has highest number of traumatic brain injuries in US workplace, study finds (June 8, 2011) -- Although traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the leading causes of death in the United States, work-related TBI has not been well documented. In a new study, researchers describe the epidemiology of fatal TBI in the US workplace between 2003 and 2008. This study provides the first national profile of fatal TBIs occurring in the US workplace. The construction industry had the highest number of TBIs and the agriculture, forestry, and fishing industry had the highest rates. ... > full story

Drug shows promise in prostate cancer spread to bone (June 8, 2011) -- A new drug to treat prostate cancer shows early promise, particularly against tumors that have spread to the bone, a multi-site study shows. ... > full story

Protein folding made easy (June 8, 2011) -- Computational methods of modeling protein folding have existed for a couple of decades. But they required hundreds of thousands of CPU hours to compute the folding dynamics of 40 amino acids proteins. Now, researchers have developed algorithms able to predict correctly in 10 minutes on a single laptop, a coarse-grained representation of the folding pathways of a protein with 60 amino acids. ... > full story

Bursitis a common cause of painful hips, knees, heels and elbows: Most conditions can be managed with simple, nonsurgical techniques (June 8, 2011) -- A new literature review examines a common condition called bursitis, often causing pain on movement. Orthopedic surgeons offer treatment options. ... > full story

Prolonging life carries more weight in doctors recommendations, study finds (June 8, 2011) -- Doctors are more apt to recommend a more costly therapy to patients if it were determined to prolong the patient's life rather than just improve quality, according to a recent study. ... > full story

Inhibiting microRNAs may help prevent degenerative eye disorders (June 7, 2011) -- Blocking two tiny molecules of RNA -- a chemical cousin of DNA -- appears to suppress the abnormal growth of blood vessels that occurs in degenerative eye disorders, researchers have found. Their findings suggest a potential strategy to treat age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a vascular eye disorder that affects nearly 2 million Americans and is a leading cause of blindness among older people. ... > full story

Older age does not cause testosterone levels to decline in healthy men (June 7, 2011) -- A decline in testosterone levels as men grow older is likely the result -- not the cause -- of deteriorating general health, say Australian scientists, whose new study finds that age, in itself, has no effect on testosterone level in healthy older men. ... > full story

What mom thinks matters when it comes to mental illness, study finds (June 7, 2011) -- A new study shows that while family members often provide critical support, they also can sometimes be the source of stigmatizing attitudes that impede the recovery of mentally ill relatives. ... > full story

Excessive pregnancy weight gain raises the risk of having a fat baby (June 7, 2011) -- Women who gain too much weight during pregnancy tend to have newborns with a high amount of body fat, regardless of the mother's weight before pregnancy, a new study finds. ... > full story

Your attention please: 'Rewarding' objects can't be ignored (June 7, 2011) -- You can be distracted by something totally worthless if that something was once associated with a reward, scientists have found. The results of their research have implications for understanding how the brain responds to rewards, which may contribute to more effective treatments for drug addiction, obesity and ADHD. ... > full story

Women warriors show resilience similar to men, psychological study shows (June 7, 2011) -- Women service members who experience combat are apparently as resilient as the men they serve alongside, according to a new psychological study. Men and women deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan in 2007 and 2008 experienced very similar levels of combat-related stress and post-deployment mental health impacts during the first year following return from deployment, researchers report. ... > full story

Apple ingredient keeps muscles strong: Component of apple peels found to help prevent muscle weakening in mice (June 7, 2011) -- In search of a way to prevent the muscle wasting that comes with illness and aging, researchers have landed a natural compound that might just do the trick. The findings identify a component of apple peels as a promising new drug candidate for the widespread and debilitating condition that affects nearly everyone at one time or another. ... > full story

Breakthrough method of stem cell expansion (June 7, 2011) -- Researchers have discovered a laboratory method to expand adult hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) using the SALL4 gene. They have used this method to produce a more than 10,000-fold increase in HSCs derived from normal human bone marrow. Their findings define a new mechanism of stem cell self-renewal, providing a means to produce large numbers of HSCs that could be used to treat hematological malignancies and other blood disorders. ... > full story

Fetal exposure to BPA changes development of uterus in primates, study suggests (June 7, 2011) -- Exposure in the womb to bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical widely used in the food and medical industries, causes changes in female primates' uterus development, new research suggests. ... > full story

People judge therapists by their offices, study shows (June 7, 2011) -- People may judge the quality and qualifications of psychotherapists simply by what their offices look like, a new study suggests. After only viewing photos of offices, study participants gave higher marks to psychotherapists whose offices were neat and orderly, decorated with soft touches like pillows and throw rugs, and which featured personal touches like diplomas and framed photos. ... > full story

Therapies to improve biochemical functions hold promise as treatments for people with autism (June 7, 2011) -- Studies indicate two commonly available supplements can be effective in treating abnormalities in the body's biochemical functions often experienced by people with autism. ... > full story

Stronger hips improved running mechanics, lessened knee pain, research finds (June 7, 2011) -- Hip strengthening exercises performed by female runners not only significantly reduced patellofemoral pain -- a common knee pain experienced by runners -- but they also improved the runners' gaits, according to a motion analysis expert. ... > full story

Brain scans appear to show changes associated with violent behavior (June 7, 2011) -- A brain imaging study suggests that men with a history of violent behavior may have greater gray matter volume in certain brain areas, whereas men with a history of substance use disorders may have reduced gray matter volume in other brain areas, according to a new report. ... > full story

Bisphenol A (BPA) accumulates more rapidly within the body than previously thought (June 7, 2011) -- A new study shows that the exposure to the controversial chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) through diet has been underestimated by previous lab tests. In the study, researchers compared BPA concentrations in mice that were given a steady diet supplemented with BPA throughout the day, compared to the more common lab method of single exposure, and found an increased absorption and accumulation of BPA in the blood of mice. ... > full story

Oatmeal-labeling ideal for molecular imaging of stomach emptying (June 7, 2011) -- Patients undergoing molecular imaging to evaluate their stomach's ability to clear food are going to have an altogether new kind of breakfast. A new study has confirmed that nuclear medicine technologists can effectively use oatmeal products radiolabeled with a medical isotope to target and image the emptying of the stomach. ... > full story

Study suggests link between childhood bullying and adult intimate partner violence perpetration (June 7, 2011) -- Men who report having bullied peers in childhood appear to have an increased risk of perpetrating violence against an intimate partner in adulthood, according to a new report. ... > full story

Yo-yo dieting vs. obesity? Dieters may be healthier, live longer, mouse study suggests (June 7, 2011) -- Yo-yo dieters may be healthier and live longer than those who stay obese, a new study suggests. Mice that switched between a high-fat and low-fat diet every four weeks during their approximate two-year lifespan lived about 25 percent longer and had better blood glucose levels than obese animals that ate a high-fat diet. The yo-yo dieters also lived about as long as a control group of mice steadily fed a low-fat diet. ... > full story

New neurons take six months or more to mature in non-human primate brain, study finds (June 7, 2011) -- New neurons take more than six months to mature in adult monkeys and likely even longer in humans, say researchers. Their findings challenge the notion that the time it takes for neurogenesis is why anti-depressant medications aren't fully effective until three to five weeks after treatment begins. ... > full story

Scientists identify how major biological sensor in the body works (June 7, 2011) -- A type of biological sensor known as the "gating ring" can open a channel that allows a flow of potassium ions through the cell's wall. This flow of ions is involved in the regulation of crucial bodily activities. But the biophysical functioning of the gating ring sensor has not been clearly understood. Now, researchers have uncovered for the first time the sensor's molecular mechanism, shedding new light on the complexity of cells' control systems. ... > full story

High amounts of the hormone leptin are linked to decreased depression (June 7, 2011) -- Women who have higher levels of the appetite-controlling hormone leptin have fewer symptoms of depression, and this apparent inverse relationship is not related to body mass index (BMI), a new study finds. ... > full story

Emergency department physicians growing weary of frequent users (June 7, 2011) -- Emergency department physicians are frustrated and burned out from treating patients who frequent the ED for their care, according to a new survey of physicians from across the United States. The survey found that 59 percent of physicians acknowledged having less empathy for so-called frequent users than other patients, and 77 percent held bias for frequent users. Physicians defined frequent users in the survey as patients who visit the ED at least 10 times a year. ... > full story

Testosterone therapy improves memory in postmenopausal women, preliminary study finds (June 7, 2011) -- Post-menopausal women have better memory after daily treatment with a testosterone spray for six months, a new preliminary study finds. ... > full story

New direction in Alzheimer's research (June 7, 2011) -- In what they are calling a new direction in the study of Alzheimer's disease, scientists have made an important finding about what happens to brain cells that are destroyed in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias. ... > full story

Intravenous nutrition in critically ill patients should be delayed, study finds (June 7, 2011) -- Patients in the intensive care unit who do not tolerate adequate nutrition from tube feeding should wait a week before receiving intravenous (IV) feeding because, compared with early IV feeding, it enhances recovery from critical illness, according to results of a new multicenter study from Belgium. ... > full story

Expertise provides buffer against bias in making judgments, study finds (June 7, 2011) -- Scientists have demonstrated through behavioral research and brain scans using functional MRI (fMRI) that monetary favors can influence people's assessments of art works, but not if the viewer is an art expert. ... > full story

Scientists use super microscope to pinpoint body’s immunity 'switch' (June 7, 2011) -- Using super-resolution fluorescence microscopy, medical scientists have been able for the first time to see the inner workings of T-cells, the front-line troops that alert our immune system to go on the defensive against germs and other invaders in our bloodstream. The discovery overturns prevailing understanding, identifying the exact molecular "switch" that spurs T-cells into action -- a breakthrough that could lead to treatments for a range of conditions from autoimmune diseases to cancer. ... > full story

Removal of a tiny RNA molecule can inhibit cancer growth, researchers discover (June 7, 2011) -- Removing a tiny RNA molecule in mice has been found to suppress carcinogenic tumor formation. Researchers discovered that the removal of a non-coding RNA molecule known as MicroRNA 21 suppressed the formation of skin tumors in mice. This molecule -- abbreviated as miR-21 -- was targeted for study because of its presence in human cancer formation. ... > full story

Scientists unlock potential of frog skin to treat cancer (June 7, 2011) -- Scientists have discovered proteins in frog skins which could be used to treat cancer, diabetes, stroke and transplant patients by regulating the growth of blood vessels. ... > full story

Desserts with a low glycemic index may benefit weight-loss efforts for obese children (June 7, 2011) -- Overweight girls lose more weight and can better stay on a healthy diet if they eat sugar-free, low-fat desserts several times weekly, as opposed to any dessert once a week, a new study finds. ... > full story

Tai chi could help overcome cognitive effects of chemotherapy, evidence suggests (June 7, 2011) -- Previous studies have indicated that a significant number of patients who receive chemotherapy also experience cognitive declines, including decreases in verbal fluency and memory. Now, one psychologist has found evidence that indicates Tai Chi, a Chinese martial art, might help overcome some of those problems. ... > full story

Mapping anemia risk in preschool-age children in West Africa (June 7, 2011) -- In a new article, experts in Australia describe how they used national cross-sectional household-based demographic health surveys to map the distribution of anemia risk in preschool-age children in Burkina Faso, Ghana and Mali. ... > full story

Biochemical weakness of malaria parasite discovered; Vaccine to be developed (June 7, 2011) -- Every year, 10,000 pregnant women and up to 200,000 newborn babies are killed by the malaria parasite. Doctors all around the globe have for years been looking in vain for a medical protection, and now researchers in Denmark have found the biochemically weakness of the lethal malaria parasite, and will now start developing a vaccine to combat pregnancy related malaria. ... > full story

Joint replacement surgery riskier at hospitals with low surgical volume, study finds (June 7, 2011) -- Patients who undergo elective total hip or total knee arthroplasty at hospitals with lower surgical volume had a higher risk of venous thromboembolism and mortality following the procedure. The complications following joint replacement surgery at low-volume sites may be reduced by modifying systems and procedures used before and after surgery, according to new findings. ... > full story

BPA lowers male fertility, mouse study finds (June 6, 2011) -- Daily exposure to a chemical that is prevalent in the human environment, bisphenol A, causes lowered fertility in male mice, according to the results of a new study. ... > full story

Ovarian cancer screening does not appear to reduce risk of ovarian cancer death, study finds (June 6, 2011) -- In a clinical trial that included nearly 80,000 women, those who received ovarian cancer screening did not have a reduced risk of death from ovarian cancer compared to women who received usual care, but did have an increase in invasive medical procedures and associated harms as a result of being screened, according to a new study. ... > full story

What, me worry? Young adults get self-esteem boost from debt (June 6, 2011) -- Instead of feeling stressed by the money they owe, many young adults actually feel empowered by their credit card and education debts, according to a new nationwide study. Researchers found that the more credit card and college loan debt held by young adults aged 18 to 27, the higher their self-esteem and the more they felt like they were in control of their lives. ... > full story

Targeted cancer therapy kills prostate tumor cells, study finds (June 6, 2011) -- A new targeted therapy for prostate cancer halts tumor growth in animals with advanced prostate cancer that is resistant to hormone therapy, a new study finds. ... > full story

Insulin action in the brain can lead to obesity: How insulin in hypothalamus controls body's energy balance (June 6, 2011) -- Fat-rich food makes you fat. Behind this simple equation lie complex signalling pathways, through which the neurotransmitters in the brain control the body’s energy balance. Scientists in Germany have clarified an important step in this complex control circuit. They have succeeded in showing how the hormone insulin acts in the part of the brain known as the ventromedial hypothalamus. ... > full story

More men with migraine suffer from PTSD than women, study finds (June 6, 2011) -- A recently published paper highlights that while the risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is more common in those with migraine than those without migraine irrespective of sex, the risk is greater in male migraineurs than female migraineurs. ... > full story

Gene therapy reverses type 1 diabetes in mice, study finds (June 6, 2011) -- An experimental cure for type 1 diabetes has a nearly 80 percent success rate in curing diabetic mice. The results offer possible hope of curing a disease that affects 3 million Americans. ... > full story